By Stephen Bruce, PhD, PHR
Just My E-pinion
Nearly all (98%) employers responding to the survey report that their organizations offer part-time work, and over one-third of these companies report that more than 10% of their workforce are part-time employees.
About 85% of respondents provide prorated holidays and vacation to their part-time workforce. This represents a significant increase over the approximately 35% of employers who provided these benefits to part-time workers in BLR's 2008 Survey of Employee Benefits. Similar increases occurred in the provision of paid sick leave, health insurance and life insurance to part-time employees when compared with the previous survey, conducted in late 2007.
The current survey, which garnered 1,100 responses, was conducted by the HR Daily Advisor in October and November of 2010. Here are the results:
Organization employs part-time employees:
Number
Percent
Yes
1,042
95%
No
26
2%
Part-time work allowed, but none currently
34
3%
Organization allows job sharing:
149
14%
794
72%
Job sharing allowed, but none currently
155
Approximate percentage of workforce employed part-time:
None
51
5%
Less than 5%
437
41%
5% to 10%
199
19%
11% to 20%
158
15%
More than 20%
219
21%
Percentage of part-time workers has changed over the past two years due to economic conditions:
Yes, the number of part-time workers has increased as an alternative to layoffs
98
9%
Yes, the number of part-time workers has increased for other reasons
198
No, the number of part-time workers has stayed approximately the same
672
64%
No, the number of part-time workers has decreased
88
8%
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Minimum hours worked per week to be eligible for prorated benefits:
Not applicable—benefits not offered
185
18%
Less than 10 hours
35
At least 10 but less than 20 hours
42
4%
20 hours
242
24%
More than 20 hours but less than 25 hours
67
7%
At least 25 hours but less than 30 hours
89
30 hours or more
356
35%
Categories of prorated benefits provided to eligible part-time employees:
Holidays
668
84%
Vacation
679
85%
Paid sick leave
482
60%
Health Insurance
415
52%
Life Insurance
310
39%
Other*
167
*Most frequently mentioned other categories: Paid Time Off, Dental
Eligibility for Supplemental Benefits Plans
401(k) Plan
Part-time employees eligible
564
59%
Plan offered only to full-time employees
224
Not offered to any employees
160
17%
Retirement Plan
253
30%
455
53%
Bonus/Incentive Plan
378
43%
22%
311
Paid Family Leave Plan
197
23%
464
54%
Changes in benefits paid to part-timers in past two years:
Yes, we have reduced benefits
56
6%
Yes, we have increased benefits
77
No, the plan has not changed in the last two years
880
87%
Changes in benefits to part-timers anticipated in year to come:
We plan to reduce benefits
44
We plan to increase benefits
65
No changes are anticipated
905
89%
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Demographics of Survey Participants
Title of Survey Respondent:
Human Resources Director or Manager
688
69%
Human Resources Staff
170
Consultant, Human Resources
31
Other
108
11%
Industry:
Manufacturing and Construction
136
Transportation, Communications, and Utilities
Services and Trade
307
31%
Government and Public Administration
435
44%
Approximate number of Employees:
1-99
451
45%
100-499
350
500-999
71
1000 or more
125
13%
Location:
Northeast US
Southern US
238
Midwestern US
276
28%
Mountain States
48
Western US
193
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